Poet Vairamuthu was the Chief Guest at the Kannada Literary and Cultural Conference organized by the Department of Kannada, University of Chennai along with Kannada SahityaParishath and released the Souvenir of the Conference. His inaugural address is given below:

“Politics and religion divides Men. Whereas Art and Literature merges the hearts. That’s why I very much appreciate and welcome this Kannada Literary and Cultural Conference.

The Tamilians and Kannadigas are the children of the Dravidian culture. Researches have disprovide the contention that the language of Kannada has evolved from Sanskrit. Language of Kannada has evolved from Tamil, indeed. The world of knowledge has accepted the fact that with changing time, Sanskrit merged itself gradually in Kannada which brought in various changes in the form of Kannada and it evolved as yet another language.

For ages and ages, many Tamil words are being used as Tamil only even until the present time. Hand – leg – eye – father – mother – sister – annan – virtue – fish – knowledge – the list goes on and many such words are one and the same in Tamil as well as Kannada, in terms of their phonetics and semantics.

We cannot forget that the Jnanpith Awardee Shri Masti Venkatesha Iyengar is a Tamilian, and a native of Srirangam, Tamil Nadu. At the same time, the famous Tamil poet Gnanakoothan is a native of Karnataka.

The Tamilians and the Kannadigas have differed in the issue of water but never had any difference of opinion in exchange of Literature. Whenever we read ‘Akkamadevi’ of Kannada Literature, the voice of Love of our Tamil ‘Andal’ is heard in our ears, as a melody.

“KozhalinidhuYazhinidhuEnbaThammakkalThothal Sol Kelzathavar” – thus by the transliteration, the Kannadiga brothers have spread the fame of our Thirukural. In the same way, Tamilians have translated ‘Sarvakngyar’, the Kannadiga Seer. That’s why the statue of Thiruvalluvar was erected in Karnataka and one for ‘Sarvaknar’ in Chennai was erected, for establishing cultural exchange between us.

Such a tradition of cultural exchanges are not something new among us. The famous King KarikalChola married his daughter to the Kannada King SriVikramawho is from the lineage of Ganga dynasty. If we consider this point, then the Tamilians and Kannadigas are matrimonially related as “In-Laws”. Hence, we ask you to provide the required water of Kavery to us, rightfully and legally. That’s why we request you not to build a Reservoir at Mekedaatu and invite you to build a bridge with the Language, together.

Politics prevents; Literature provides. So, let us not approach problems with a politicized brain but with the tender Literary heart. I strongly believe that this Conference is a great effort in building the cultural bridge between the Tamilians and the Kannadigas”.

Manupaligar, President of the Kannada SahityaParishath, Prof. SivakumarSalya, Prof. R.V.S. Sundaram, University of Pennsylvania, Kannada Poet ThotharangaGauda, Prof. Thamizselvi, Department of Kannada and students of the University have participated in the Conference.